


Cycles

by wnnbdarklord



Series: Until the Morning Light [3]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alpha Pepper Potts, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Canon, Angst, Beta Tony Stark, Established Relationship, F/F, F/M, Female Loki, Genderfluid Loki, I Blame Tumblr, M/M, Multi, Norse Bro Feels, Omega Loki, References to Norse Religion & Lore, Smut, immortality is hard with mortal lovers, in the context of a former attempt, mention of suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-10
Updated: 2014-07-10
Packaged: 2018-02-08 05:36:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1928577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wnnbdarklord/pseuds/wnnbdarklord
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Longevity is not such a blessing when it dooms you to outlive the ones you love. This does not mean the ones you love are not worth the effort. Or the heartache.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cycles

**Author's Note:**

> I never intended for this series to actually become a series. Ah, the vagaries of life. I had a lot of fun writing this, in any case. I hope you all enjoy it. Comments and kudos are, as always, appreciated!  
> There's a Doctor Who quote I used near the end. Will attribute properly in the end notes.  
> (The tag on tumblr for this pairing is froz3npizza. Come join us :)

The scent comes over him like a wave. Clint twitches and almost sends his arrow flying into the ceiling of the training area. As it is, it smacks into the target an inch from the center.

 "Motherfucker. Again?!"

 It's the third heat Loki has gone into this month. It's also starting to become a nuisance, everyone in the Tower slightly more on edge in the presence of an omega in heat. Not helped at all that that omega is Loki.

 Clint bemoans the fact that he once thought he'd never have to deal with crap like this, being a beta himself. Ha. Past him was so naive.

 He sighs and heads off to find Natasha. She's amazing at finding missions for them on short notice and Clint is in desperate need of a vacation.

 

**xxx**

 

 "Again?" Tony asks. He's getting a bit concerned. As thoroughly enjoyable as it is fucking Loki through his - lately her - heats, three times in one month is definitely out of the norm.

 "Mphfmph," is all that Loki replies. She's sprawled out on her stomach next to him on the bed, face buried in her pillow. The sheets are tangled against their legs. Her skin is still glistening from the sweat their exertion caused.

 Tony scoots closer and runs a hand down her back, gentle and firm. Not meant to arouse, just touch.

 "Are you sure this is normal? I mean, the last two times Pepper and I made  _sure_  we didn't actually try to trigger it."

 Because as smug as it makes them to know Loki is comfortable enough with them to trigger a heat at the drop of a hat, it does get inconvenient (and tiring. But it''l be a cold day in Hell before Tony Stark admits that).

 One green eye peaks out from under the tangle of hair and pillow, still hazy with pleasure and the beginnings of annoyance. Not a good sign - Loki always gets annoyed when she's nervous.

 "Of course I'm not sure. I was never exactly provided with a guide on how my body works."

 The glare Loki shoots his way all but demands that he drop the subject. And it's a sensitive subject, even after all this time. Really, from his own experiences, Tony knows it'll never  _stop_  being a sensitive subject.

 "Okay."

 She stares at him a moment more before closing her eyes again, satisfied. Tony just continues stroking her back, prompting her to sigh and relax deeper onto the bed.

 Tony would never admit it out loud, but he loves these quiet moments in between, just being (it helps that they're interspersed with moments of lots of sweaty activity). Tony leans forward and places a kiss on her shoulder before lying back down. Loki hums happily and shuffles over to press against him.

 Tony allows the sound of her soft breathing to lull him into a doze.

 

  **xxx**

 

 "Again, Son of Stark?" Thor's voice is a quiet rumble at this early hour rather than the boom it'd be otherwise, "Clint told me as he was leaving."

 Tony sighs and puts his coffee down. Thor's brows are furrowed, looking at him in concern. He's also fidgeting with the strap of his hammer, a sure sign of nerves.

 A part of Tony is viciously satisfied, as it is any time Thor is disconcerted over Loki. Thor may love his brother, but it'd taken him quite a few clue-by-fours to make him get with the program that Asgard was not the be all and end all of gender, race and sexuality. It had taken Tony and Pepper ages to fix what Thor could have crumbled with a disapproving glance or a withheld word. The actual arguments he'd had with Thor hadn't affected him nearly as much.

 (Loki would insist Thor meant nothing to him and that he cared little for his opinion. But it still didn't stop him sometimes from flinching away when they tried to touch him or staring at his reflection in the mirror with an expression of self loathing Tony recognized all too well.)

 "Yeah," Tony says, keeping his thoughts on the past to himself. It's not like Thor isn't painfully aware of it most of the time. Even now, a flicker of something like guilt and shame pass across his face.

 "It has never happened before with such frequency," Thor ventures. Tony just shrugs.

 "For all we know about Jotun biology, this is perfectly normal. Not like he can go and find out."

 Tony doesn't think it is, but the aborted flinch Thor makes gives him another petty curl of satisfaction. The reminder of Loki's sentence of exile (and his species) never fails to produce that reaction in Thor. Both are proof of what an utter asshole Odin is.

 "I never considered..." Thor trails off. He looks lost in troubling thoughts. A frown appears on his face, the same frown he gets whenever he has to confront the fact that the All Daddy isn't infallible.

 "Neither did he," Tony says and picks up his coffee, "Buck up, big guy," he pats him on the arm as he passes, "We'll figure it out."

 Tony leaves Thor to brood in the kitchen and follows his nose to the living room. Loki is there, watching some sort of sitcom with a gaggle of children with the oddest expression on her face. Pepper's already off to work or she'd also be there.

 "Hey, honey. Anything interesting?" He sits down next to her and pecks her on the cheek. She stirs, looking like she'd been drawn out of a dream.

 "Mmm, not particularly. You may change the program if you wish," she says and curls up next to him. The worst of her heat is already past and the aftereffects always leave Loki drowsy and cuddlier than usual for a day or two after.

 Tony relaxes into the couch and flips the channel from the "hilarious" antics of some precocious kid until he comes across a Star Trek rerun. All in all, definitely not a bad start to the day, even if he  _has_ gotten up at such an ungodly hour as eight in the morning.

 

**xxx**

 

 "Mmm, do that again," Loki breathes, shifting her hips up. Pepper and Tony's scent is almost drowned out by the musky heat of Loki's. Over the worst of the heat doesn't mean the end of it either. Tony inhales the subsiding heat scent, made more intense by Loki's current arousal. He licks at her neck, chasing the taste. Tony neither knows nor cares who Loki was talking to in that particular moment, but he also keeps playing with her breasts. Gorgeous breasts. Glorious breasts.

 Over them both, Pepper moves in a way that has Loki  _mewling_. Tony's at their side, as close as he can get without interfering with Pepper's rhythm.

 Tony can't hold back a moan of his own at the noise. He'd never known he has such a kink for just _watching_  (and listening) until Loki came into their lives. (There were so many reasons to be thankful for Loki's presence in their lives, but that is the only one Tony will readily admit to in front of people not Pepper, Loki or Rhodey).

 Tony opens his eyes just in time to catch Pepper and Loki locked in what looks like an absolutely filthy kiss. There's a whimper and it's not until Loki breaks off to breathlessly laugh against Pepper's neck that he realizes it came from  _him_.

 "Good?" Pepper asks, grin bright and mischievous. She hasn't stopped moving inside Loki, so when Loki releases a high pitched gasp, Tony's 'yes' becomes "hnngfyeeeeaaah."

 Pepper's laugh is light, if a little out of breath. Tony just drinks it in. He has to grasp the base of his cock not to come just from that. Loki's hand joins him and he can't help the jerk his hips give. Loki's hands are just as long and elegant and soft in her female form, with only slightly longer nails. He loves the added bite they can give, especially when she -

 Oh yeah, that felt awesome.

 "I'm obviously not doing this hard enough if you can still concentrate enough to do  _that_  to him," Pepper teases. Loki just flashes her her best 'come hither' grin.

 "If you think you can do better, Ms. Potts, I invite you to  _oh sweet Norns_ ," Loki shouts when Pepper ups the pace. Loki's long, long legs wrap themselves more firmly around Pepper's waist.

 Tony's own arousal is becoming hard to ignore. Still, he stops pulling and pinching Loki's nipples to place his hand between her and Pepper. It's a wet mess down there and Tony bites back another groan. He quickly finds Loki's clit and just...presses. Loki's hips buck in a spasm and she comes, face twisted in one of the loveliest expressions of pleasure Tony's seen.

 But she doesn't let go of Pepper. Loki pulls her closer, tugging her off balance and rhythm until Pepper needs to catch herself on her elbows over Loki. Loki shoots Tony a look. Oh! Tony knows that look. Tony approves of that look a lot. He scrambles up, reaching for the drawer in in the nightstand.

 As he's putting on a condom, he can hear Loki speaking to Pepper in a low voice. It's only meant to _appear_  private, cause Tony can hear every damn word.

 "You feel exquisite inside of me, Pepper. I can feel every shudder and twitch of your pleasure and even as I'm sated, I swell," Loki uses her legs to sharply pull Pepper forward at this, drawing a groan from all three of them, "with arousal to think you have yet to find your own completion in me, to anticipate your binding me." Loki begins undulating her hips slowly, in rhythm with her voice, low and dark. Tenderly, she pushes Pepper's sweaty hair from her face, and pulls her even closer until their entire bodies are flush against each other. "Do you wish some aid in this endeavor?" Loki says in her ear, with a bite and lick.

 "Oh god, yes," Pepper breathes.

 Tony can recognize a cue when he sees one. He shifts behind Pepper, grabbing her hips. He presses against her, placing a kiss on her shoulder.

 His eyes threaten to roll back in his head when he enters her. Pepper gasps and clenches around him. Tony loves driving her wild this way, to make her both give and take. Hell, he loves it when it happens to him. (By all accounts, Loki loves it too. Has Tony mentioned how lucky he is?)

 He follows Loki's lead and sets the pace slow, barely pulling away before he presses in again. It's an abrupt change from the pace Pepper had set and it shows in her gasping breaths. But between Tony and Loki, they don't let her go faster.

 It doesn't take long before Loki's rhythm falters, her concentration shot because of her own renewed arousal. Tony is barely holding it together as well.

 One of his hands leaves Pepper's hip. He runs it up Loki's leg until he reaches her hip. He explores where they're all joined, fingers pressing and stroking.

 "Come on, baby," he says into Pepper's ear, the same Loki had whispered such lovely things into. He presses the lightest of kisses onto it. Pepper shudders and comes. He can  _feel_  her knot swelling against his fingers and bites down onto her shoulder.

 He ups his pace a bit, chasing his own completion. Beneath both of them, Loki cries out and comes again. That does it. Tony muffles his own groan into Pepper's shoulder, coming hard.

 All of them lie still for a long moment. Tony moves first. Loki doesn't mind the weight, but it'd soon become uncomfortable for Pepper and she can't exactly move yet. He flops down next to them after disposing of the condom.

 "Wow, go team. That was...that was a good one, A+, full marks," he says, cuddling closer to both of them.

 "You're rambling, Tony. Not that I disagree," Pepper teases. She shifts experimentally. Then, with a long groan from both Loki and her, she pulls away.

 "Oh my," Loki says, stretching languidly. A smirk is pulling at her full lips. "Mm, yes, most satisfactory."

 Tony lunges up to kiss her, enjoying the muffled laugh this produces. The kiss turns soft and slow. They part gently. Tony steals another kiss, from Pepper this time. He settles back against Loki, sleepily watching Pepper and Loki share a kiss of their own.

 There's a bit of general shuffling until they all find a comfortable position. Tony sighs, content. With all the physical activity because of Loki's heat, he has no trouble falling asleep these days.

 He's already drifting off, so he almost misses the light brush of fingertips against his face and Loki's whisper.

 "A mortal's lifespan with you both is not enough, but it is a sacrifice I shall be glad to make."

 Before he can respond, puzzled, sleep catches him in its wake.

 

  **xxx**

 

 A crash sounds above their heads.

 "Again?! Immature Asgardian brats," Pepper glances up to where Loki's and Thor's shouting can be heard from a floor away.

 Bruce winces and stands. Tony pouts. Stupid brothers arguing are going to scare away his science bro.

 "I'd better go before this turns out like last time," Bruce heads towards the elevator, pace just this side of undignified scramble.

 Tony winces at the reminder. Living with superheros is hell on the remodeling budget (well, it would be if he cared about the money more than the actual hassle involved with picking out new furniture all the time), but any time Thor and Loki get into a fight, it turns out they usually need to completely remodel an entire floor. Last time, they'd caught Bruce in their wake, and the resulting fight and damage had almost dropped an entire floor onto their heads.

 "Could you go up there and make sure they don't kill each other? I need to finalize these papers by tonight." A grumpy, behind on her work Pepper is something Tony has long learned to avoid whenever possible. A happy, relaxed Pepper is much better. Which she usually is if she gets work done.

 "Sure," Tony agrees. He's not looking forward to this at all. Thor and Loki's fights could get so  _vicious_. Would showing up in the suit leave them with the wrong impression? Likely. Sighing, he decides to forgo it.

 "Have fun," he says and stands. He pecks Pepper on the cheek on his way to the stairs. One floor up isn't that far and he's hoping they'll cool down by the time he gets there. Even though past experience says there's no chance of that, he lives in hope.

 When he arrives, he discovers that at least they haven't progressed to the punching aspect of their fight yet. Instead, they're screaming at one another in whatever language their nifty Allspeak refuses to translate from (it sounds vaguely like Old Norse, but really isn't, much to Tony's resentment. Old Norse, he could have found a way to learn). Both are in full armor, a sure sign violence will be imminent soon.

 "Hey! HEY!"

 No acknowledgement. Great, he could be a statue for all those two care. Tony rolls his eyes and says, "Jarvis?"

 "Right away, sir."

 Thor and Loki stop mid-shout, flinching and grabbing at their ears. Fuck yeah, testing of the god whistle is successful. He lets the ultrasonic sound continue for a moment more before he signals Jarvis to cut it.

 "What in the Nine was that about, Tony?" Oh  _now_  they acknowledge him. Typical.

 "I was thinking I'd stop the grudge match before it leveled another floor again, snookums," the look on Loki's face when Tony calls him that is totally worth it. Thor shuffles, looking more subdued, but still mulish.

 "Then I thank you, friend Stark. Now if you could just convince my brother to not die when he has no need to, I would be most grateful."

 "What?" It feels like his stomach has plummeted into an abyss. They'd never directly talked about Loki's blatant suicide attempt on that bridge, but Tony had thought Loki had recovered from that. Wasn't he happy with Pepper and him? Had it gotten so bad again? Had they not even  _noticed_?

 Loki's expression changes from murderous rage, to wide-eyed concern to anguish. The next thing Tony knows, Loki is in front of him, cool hands pressed against his face.

 "Not that, Tony. Never that, not when I am so..." Loki trails off. He leans his head down to press it against Tony's. Loki only does this as a sign of affection when he is happy. Tony takes in a gulping breath, lungs suddenly working properly again. He grasps ( _clings_ ) to Loki's arms, but doesn't pull them away.

 "Alright," he takes another few deep breaths, "alright."

 He can feel the flutter of Loki's eyelashes as he exhales in a sigh of relief. They part, but neither moves far from the other. Thor is watching them, something stricken in his expression.

 "What's this about then?"

 Thor opens his mouth, but Loki shuts him up.

 "Desist, Thor. Do as I ask. Please. If you have  _ever_  claimed to love me, you will do this for me."

 "Loki," Thor's voice is bleak, eyes wet. But Loki ignores him and turns to face Tony fully. Tony's breath catches again at the expression on his face, but not out of fear this time. Loki rarely wears his emotions so openly when others are present,  _especially_  Thor.

 "Very well, brother," Thor's voice is low and anguished. He approaches them. Tony moves away a little, so Thor can step in front of Loki. Thor shoots him a small smile.

 Thor places a hand on Loki's neck. Loki closes his eyes and shudders.

 "Do not think less of me for wishing to keep you longer," Thor says in a low rumble. Loki just  _looks_  at him and Tony can suddenly see what the brothers must have been like before everything. It hurts, and he's not even the one most affected by it.

 "I'll think less of you if I like, brother," Loki says, but it's shaky. Thor pulls him closer to press a kiss on his forehead and squeezes his neck lightly before letting go. Thor's eyes are shining.

 "I shall return as soon as I am able, brother."

 With that, Thor exits to the balcony and disappears into the air with a whirl of his hammer.

 Loki exhales unsteadily. Tony puts a hand around his waist and squeezes. With a glimmer of gold, Loki is out of the armor and into more comfortable clothes. He fidgets, but presses closer, the expression on his face anxious.

 "Alright, honey. Downstairs, now. You're going to explain everything."

 

**xxx**

 

It's a mark of how uneasy Loki is feeling that he's almost hiding his face in Pepper's lap. They're all sitting on their bed, close together, touching wherever they can. Pepper is running a hand through Loki's long hair, slow and soothing. Tony has a hold of his hand. Loki is clutching it like a lifeline.

 "He simply does not wish to lose another brother again," Loki finally starts. Tony and Pepper look at each other over Loki's head, startled.

 "Another brother? I thought..."

 "Baldr," Loki says with a choked off laugh, "Had you asked anyone in Asgard, they would all tell you there are but two Odinsons, lest they invoke the wrath of the Allfather."

 "What happened?" Pepper asks. They've both read up on the myths, but they've largely proven inaccurate, merely boastful stories by the Aesir made larger with the retelling and warped by the influence of Christianity.

 Loki curls up closer, hand spasming against Tony's.

 "He used to travel to Midgard all the time before we were all discouraged in meddling in Midgardian affairs. It wasn't unusual for the soldiers who'd fought in the war. Often, he would take me and Thor along since he was centuries older than us. We would cause so much trouble," Loki's tone has taken on a wistful note. Tony and Pepper stay silent, knowing Loki is getting to the point. It's rare to hear him talk with any sort of positivity about his past. That's usually Thor's area.

 "One time, I was still a child, you see, I'd strayed too far and gotten lost in the woods in the depths of winter. A simple hunter found me and he brought me back to Baldr, who was beside himself with worry. When the hunter brought me back, Baldr swore his lasting gratitude to him. We often sought him out in our later visits."

 Loki is silent for so long after that, Pepper has to gently prompt him to continue.

 "They fell in love."

 Oh boy. Tony knows enough about Asgardian social mores by now to figure out how well  _that_  had gone with Odin.

 "Did Odin..?" Tony falters. There's no good way to ask whether the guy who raised you killed his kid for being gay. Loki lets out a mirthless laugh.

 "No. That would be too far even by Odin's standards. No, there is a particular bit of magic, science and engineering on Asgard that grants mortals Aesir lifespans."

 "The golden apples?"

 "Aye. They are jealously guarded, but Aesir and Midgardian unions where they were granted to the mortals were not unheard of."

 "Odin didn't let Baldr have one," Pepper says.

 "No," it is little more than a whisper. Loki swallows and continues, "He refused it to his firstborn, the brightest and best of all the Aesir. Because the one Baldr loved was a mortal. Because he was a man. Because Baldr was to be king. I think Odin felt it an infatuation that would pass."

 Clearly, it hadn't been.

 Unspoken, but very much felt is the knowledge that Odin would never let Loki have access to the apples. Not after Loki had told them how Odin would have killed him if it had not been for Frigga and Thor and the Avengers (and Pepper, fierce, bright Pepper who fought like a lion to have him freed into their custody).

 Pepper continues stroking Loki's hair. Loki takes a deep breath.

 "The golden apples grant an immortal lifespan. Silver apples grant a mortal one. They're much easier to obtain, but rare is the As who would take one," Loki says quickly.

 Tony's breath catches and he remembers what Loki had whispered last night. Oh.  _Oh_. But he couldn't. He could though. Tony can very vividly see how Loki could, why he  _would_.

 "Oh, sweetie," Pepper says, just as choked up as Tony is suddenly feeling. She's clearly also caught on to what Loki is saying, "You don't have to..."

 Loki lurches up, but not to get away, only to see them better. He pulls both of them closer, clutching the back of their necks in a familiar gesture.

 "I do. I do. Should I just watch you wither away? Learn how to live again the third time over after you are gone? I could not bear it. If we -" here, Loki pauses, swallowing convulsively, "If we were to have children, I could not bear to watch them die."

 Pepper is openly crying and clutching at Loki. He buries his face in her neck, inhaling deeply. Tony clutches at them both, doing the same. It takes Pepper a while to gather the strength to continue.

 "Is this what all those heats have been about?" she asks, voice choked with tears.

 "I believe so," Loki says hesitantly, "I did not quite realize until yesterday, but..."

 But apparently Jotun biology will out. Tony spares a mental note to geek out with Bruce over how intertwined Jotun physiology and psychology get before what Loki and Pepper actually  _said_  catches up with him.

 The thought isn't as terrifying as he thought it would be. He trusts Loki and Pepper, knows they would never let him make the same mistakes his parents did. The thought is strangely liberating and it loosens his tongue.

 "Would you or Pepper be...?" Tony doesn't know exactly how to ask. It surprises him exactly how much he  _wants_  this. Loki fidgets against him and doesn't quite look at him, the way he does when his old thought patterns cross with what he actually wants.

 "I'm not sure I even want to be the pregnant one yet," Pepper admits. It's a big thing for her to admit. The stereotype that alpha women don't want to get pregnant is ridiculous, but absolutely vicious. It also shits all over the ones who do, and all the beta and omega women who don't (not to mention all the men and all the rest who are capable of it, but get excluded. Tony's had a lot of crash courses on this in the process of getting Loki comfortable in his own skin).

 Loki relaxes against them, an actual smile growing on his face. Tony's heart starts a ridiculous patter and he can't help his own smile.

 "I do not know what I have done in my long life to deserve you two, but I am so glad of it. Never doubt my love for you."

 Pepper's smile is so beautiful.

 "Same here."

 "You have to ask?" Tony jokes. It earns him double eye rolls, but it does the job of lightening the mood further.

 Tony moves so they all shift into a more comfortable reclining position. Loki is sprawled against them once more, head in Pepper's lap, Tony stroking his back.

 After a few long, but peaceful minutes, Loki lets out a mirthless laugh.

 "I haven't thought of Baldr in so long. The Norns must truly have a wicked sense of humor. I used to hate your kind  _so much_  for taking him away."

 Pepper starts running her hand through his hair again. Loki leans into it with a sigh.

 "Truly, I think I blamed myself the most."

 "That's ridiculous. You were just a kid. It's not like you forced them to fall in love."

 Loki just shrugs.

 "Perhaps that is why I did, with none to tell me otherwise."

 That seemed grossly unfair. Then again, Tony would not put it past Odin to pull something like that, intentionally or no.

 "But the fact remains that I was the one who led them to each other. Even your myths have that part right - I was the catalyst for Baldr's fate."

 "What, the mistletoe thing?" Pepper asks, "How is that relevant?" Loki laughs helplessly against her thigh.

 "The hunter's name was Mistilteinn."

 "Mistletoe," Tony says. He'd come across the name while looking through Norse mythology. Baldr being speared by a mistletoe dart has all sorts of different meanings now. Tony pulls himself out of that train of thought. Not even remotely appropriate for the conversation they're having.

 "Aye," Loki says, once again relaxing against Pepper. The quiet seeps in again until Tony feels the need to break it.

 "So what now?" Tony asks.

 "We wait for Thor to come back. We talk about this more. Make plans. Live," Pepper says in her best matter of fact tone. Tony loves that tone. It gets shit done. It's comforting, even when he's not exactly happy about what the stuff getting done is. She nudges Tony to face her and kisses him. She does the same to Loki.

 "Love."

 Loki's answering smile is absolutely radiant.

 

**xxx**

 

Thor doesn't return for nearly two weeks. Life in the Tower has been fairly normal, if overlaid with the tension that comes from waiting for something so momentous. Twice, there were short lived, sudden thunderstorms over New York, but no Thor to accompany them. Those did little but ratchet the tension up.

 It's not until he, Pepper and Loki are having a quiet night in with Loki trying to make pancakes that a third storm starts.

 "Sir, readings are indicative of Bifrost travel," Jarvis chimes in, "They are appearing directly on your landing pad."

 Tony grimaces.

 "Don't tell me I'm going to have to remodel that again as well?"

 There's no response. Tony turns around to see Pepper looking at Loki, worry etched into her features. Loki looks frozen, her hands wrapped around the bowl with pancake mix. She's staring out the window, expression made up of half-terror, half-surprise.

 "Readings indicate Mr. Odinson is not alone."

 "Let them in, Jarvis."

 Tony turns to face the balcony doors again. If Thor had brought Odin along, he was going to make Thor wish he'd never been born, god or no god.

 But instead of another guy, the door opens to reveal Thor and one of the most regal women Tony's ever laid eyes on. He has trouble placing her before he realizes that it's Frigga. Holy shit, Frigga is in his Tower. Tony can't believe it. He hadn't really recognized her without all the gold surroundings of Asgard, especially in this less formal dress and hairstyle. He can't move, frozen at the scene before him. It's not exactly what they expected.

 "Mother?" The bowl Loki is holding falls to the floor, splattering batter everywhere.

 "Loki," Frigga smiles, warm and soft.

 Loki steps towards her, flowing back into his male form. He stops just short of her and Tony's heart clenches at his uncertainty. Frigga simply steps forward and catches him in a hug.

 "Oh my son, do not feel as though you have to change for me," she tells him. With a shudder, Loki collapses into her, female once more. Both of them look as though they're holding on for dear life.

 They don't move for so long, Tony starts to feel awkward just staring at them. Thor watches too, serious, but not sad.

 When they finally pull away, both have tears on their cheeks. Frigga reaches up to smooth away Loki's hair, laughing at the irrepressible curls she doesn't bother trying to tame as a woman.

 "Mother, why are you - not that you're not welcome, but..."

 Frigga smiles again, but this time it looks a bit pained.

 "I think it's best this part of the conversation is held in private."

 Loki gulps and stares back to Tony and Pepper, her eyes wide.

 Pepper gives her a smile and clasps Tony's hand.

 "Go on, Loki. We'll be right here if you need us."

 Reassured, Loki turns back to Frigga. Her mother is watching her, drinking her in. It takes a few false starts before Loki is able to speak.

 "Come," she says and leads Frigga to their bedroom. Tony and Pepper watch them leave. Then Tony remembers Thor.

 "What was all that about, Sparks?"

 Thor merely smiles, trying and failing to project an air of mystery. It grates on Tony's already shot nerves.

 "Tis not my tale to tell yet. I wish you both a good evening."

 And he just walks out. Hey!

 "Hey, you can't just say that and walk out! Aaaand, he's not listening to me," Tony grumps, flopping back onto the couch when Thor just leaves without looking back.

 "It's going to be fine," Pepper says. But the way she sits next to him and grabs his hand again says differently. Together, they wait for the two to emerge, the quiet only broken by the sound of his little bot clearing up the spill of batter.

 It takes over an hour for something to happen. And even then, only Frigga emerges. They scramble to their feet. She gives them a watery smile.

 "I am sorry I did not greet you properly when I first arrived. It is good to see you both again."

 She draws near and pulls Pepper into a hug first and then Tony. Tony takes a moment to bask. He hasn't had a lot of mom hugs and Frigga's are  _awesome_.

 Frigga grasps both their hands, looking at them both with an earnest expression.

 "Thor has told me what has been happening here. It eases my heart to know that whatever happens,he will have the two of you to lean on and as much happiness in his future as he feels now, if not even more. There is little else a mother could wish for her children."

 "What's going to happen?"

 Really, this entire day has been more confusing and mysterious than Tony likes. He wants answers, dammit!

 Frigga's smile turns wobbly.

 "That is to be, as always, your choice. I do not wish to say anything that will influence you. Simply go forward in all your beliefs and prove to me I am not mistaken in mine."

 The love in her expression as she looks at them makes Tony want to fidget. She laughs lightly.

 "Ah, what a twist of the Norns' weavings that all my children have fallen for mortals."

 With a last smile and a kiss pressed to both their cheeks, she goes out to the balcony. A moment later, the Bifrost whisks her away.

 Pepper and Tony share a glance. They scramble for the bedroom, but stop right before barging in. They manage to enter at a slower pace.

 Loki is sitting on the bed. He looks up at them, a lost expression on his face, tear tracks yet to dry.

 In his hands are two golden apples.

 

**END**

**Author's Note:**

> The Doctor Who quote I used is part of a longer one that comes from the episode "Dalek Invasion of the Earth" when the First Doctor is saying goodbye to his grandaughter. I love this quote to bits, so here is the entire thing: " One day, I shall come back. Yes, I shall come back. Until then, there must be no regrets, no tears, no anxieties. Just go forward in all your beliefs and prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine. Goodbye, Susan. Goodbye, my dear."  
> I'm considering doing a followup to this fic with Loki's and Thor's POV. To go a bit deeper into the happenings on Asgard, both past and present. Btw, the Baldr thing is now my headcanon for the MCU until we have proof otherwise. I'm very fond of it.


End file.
